WORLD OF INDUSTRIES 5/2019

The new Interroll DC

The new Interroll DC Platform With the launch of its new DC platform, Interroll is once again setting standards in material-handling technology. The range of perfectly matched RollerDrive, controls and power supply units enables system integrators and machine builders to provide an even better fit for their customers’ needs – from standard applications to equipment with Industry 4.0 or smart digital manufacturing functionality. The new DC platform has a solution to match every challenge. 01 The new DC platform − made up of coordinated components such as the RollerDrive, controls systems, power supplies and accessories LOGISTICS Technology at a glance The RollerDrive EC5000 is the main component of the new DC platform. Combined with the control systems, the motor rollers in this product family are the key component of zero-pressure accumulation conveyors with individually driven conveyor zones, such as those used in the MCP. The RollerDrive EC5000 offers the following technical innovations over the popular and still available Roller- Drive EC310: n 48V/24V: Alongside a 24V version, the new RollerDrive is now also available with 48V technology. n 20/35/50 watt: Users can choose between three power levels: 20, 35 and 50 watt. The 35-watt version is compatible with existing RollerDrive Installations. n Analog or bus interface: The new RollerDrive EC5000 is available with an analog or a bus interface. n Tube diameter: Alongside the versions with 50-mm tubes, the RollerDrive EC5000 is also available with 60-mm tubes for heavy transport materials. n Other features: Depending on the conditions in which the system will be used, you can choose versions of the RollerDrive EC5000 product family with IP54 and IP66 protection and suitable for freezer applications. n Controls solution for every application: Alongside DriveControl 2048 for standard applications with few RollerDrive, MultiControl – a four-zone control compatible with multiple protocols – offers the right solution for both simple and demanding applications, from autonomous conveyors with integrated logic to conveyors with customized PLC programming via fieldbus communication. n New power supplies − Unpack, plug in and use: The new power supply units do not need to be installed in the control cabinet. Instead, the robust devices with protection rating IP54 are mounted directly where the extra-low voltage is needed, enabling much shorter cable lengths. All functions of the 24V and 48V power units can be used straight out of the box. Automatic power limitation and configurable line protection are integrated, as is status evaluation via LED or a signal line to the PLC. Individual conveyor zones can be serviced while others remain in operation thanks to a switch secured against inadvertent start-up. With a higher peak output up to 50 percent and built-in brake chopper, the power supplies are perfect for use with RollerDrive. 12 WORLDOFINDUSTRIES 5/2019

The “acid test” Interroll’s Global Center of Excellence for conveyor rollers, RollerDrive and controls in Wermelskirchen is responsible for the development, production and market launch of the DC platform. At the heart of the company is a test center covering an area of around 1,600 square meters. Interroll’s engineers at the center submit existing products and new innovations to comprehensive fatigue and load tests. Special chambers are used to test products’ resistance to heat and cold, ensuring that customers can rely on the quality of the Interroll range at anytime and anywhere. “Our test facilities work around the clock; we leave nothing to chance,” says managing director Armin Lindholm. “We have subjected the new DC platform to the acid test, involving all conceivable application scenarios and millions of test hours for the products and their components.” Built-to-order on an industrial scale Production of the new DC platform in Wermelskirchen works on the built-to-order principle. Intelligent processes based on the Interroll Production System (IPS) enable build-to-order with numerous options and short delivery times, even for small batches. Interroll has a long history of manufacturing expertise in this area, which applies to other product groups as well. “For the DC platform, we not only expanded and reorganized our motor roller production, but also systematically protected it against static discharges so that we could work with sensitive components,” says Lindholm. “We also store the data on all products and their components in the corporate cloud, allowing us to identify them years later through their serial numbers.” To ensure the same high product quality in the manufacturing facilities all around the globe, Interroll is steadily implementing the relevant manufacturing processes and equipment in America and Asia. Photographs: Interroll www.interroll.com 02 The RollerDrive EC5000 is the main component of the new DC platform Intelligent conveyor solution What’s behind the new Interroll DC Platform? In this interview, Armin Lindholm, Managing Director, Global Center of Excellence Rollers & RollerDrive in Wermelskirchen, discusses its benefits, development and production. What was the reason for bringing the new DC platform − made up of coordinated components such as the RollerDrive, controls systems, power supplies and accessories − to the market? Armin Lindholm emphasizes that the new DC platform was a holistic project that included both hardware and software development Lindholm: Because we wanted to use this innovation to offer our customers, by which I mean system integrators and manufacturers, real added value for their businesses. With our new DC Platform, this added value comes in the form of the unique variety of new options for providing users with an even more efficient material flow − precisely tailored to their individual needs. What new technical features are hidden “behind the scenes” of this range of applications? Lindholm: First, customers can now choose between three power levels − 20 W, 35 W and 50 W − for the motor rollers, our RollerDrive. This enables customers to find individual solutions for light and heavy material to be transported. Next, the new optional bus interface, which is based on the CANOpen standard, makes the systems data-transparent. This means that the customer can read out, process and visualize a range of operating data whenever they want. Additionally, the corresponding control system means that users can not only control the acceleration, speed and deceleration of the conveyed goods in the system more precisely; they can also position the relevant goods on the conveyor to the nearest millimeter − for seamless conveying interplay with robots or automated gripper arms. And why did Interroll decide to offer two versions of this solution with 24 V and 48 V technology? Lindholm: Because this technology offers so many advantages. For instance, 48 V systems facilitate the use of up to 50 percent fewer power supply units than 24 V systems. They allow for smaller wire cross-sections in cabling and for longer cable lengths, and they reduce the number of error sources, for instance as a result of voltage drops on the wires. This significantly reduces the investment required in the entire system and substantially decreases the risk of errors during commissioning. What was it like developing the new solution? Lindholm: It was a holistic project that encompassed both hardware and software development. Alongside our own skills as a technology leader, we also relied on the expertise of five partner companies over the course of this project. With around 150 engineers and technicians working on it, this was the most extensive innovation project that Interroll had ever taken on. And of course, we also redesigned production. z WORLDOFOFINDUSTRIES 5/2019 13